TheSportsCampus

Agnieszka Radwanska is not a new name in Women's tennis. The 23-year old Pole has been on the circuit for seven years, turning professional shortly after her 16th birthday. In her early years she was seen as one half of the Polish doubles team partnering little sister Urszula, and grabbing a first bit of attention. Agnieszka's climb up the charts has been steady and far from meteoric. Ever since her breakthrough year in 2006, she has made respectable progress by doing things the Caroline Wozniacki - way, playing lots and lots of tournaments.

Radwanska was consistently ranked inside the top 10 each of the last four seasons, but was never taken seriously as a threat by the top players. Ms. Consistent, Agnieszka was believed to lack the weapons to really cause an uproar in any Grand Slam, but was always seen to be around in the second week. Not one of the 'glamour-girls', the young Pole was often placed on one of the outside showcourts in morning matches, playing in front of sparse crowds filtering into the stadium, almost like a warm-up act before the real deal.

All that could change forever this Saturday. As Radwanska fulfilled a lifelong ambition to become the first Polish player in the Open Era to make the final of a Grand Slam when she beat 8th seeded German Angelique Kerber, 6-3, 6-4 in Thursday's Wimbledon semi-final.

The two youngsters, who are good friends, had already progressed further than they had ever before at any Grand Slam.

Radwanska started the nervier of the two and dropped serve early to fall behind 3-1, but was a picture of consistency right through the rest of the opening set, winning 5 games in a row to go ahead 6-3 in under half-an-hour.

The second set was a tighter affair with just the one break in the 6th game deciding it in Radwanska's favour.

Radwanska shared after the match, "This is what I've been dreaming of since I was a kid. Everybody wants to play the final of a Grand Slam. These are the best two weeks of my career."

And she will get a chance to make the week even better when she takes on Serena Williams in the final on Saturday. The 4-time champion brushed aside the challenge of world no.2 Victoria Azarenka in straight sets, 6-3, 7-6(6). As an added incentive, should Radwanska win that match, she will become the first Pole ever to be crowned world no.1.

File Photograph Copyright: Porsche Tennis Grand Prix